jump if you love Oregon!

like mother, like daughter
Originally uploaded by ninapod

Hi, havarti? I'm gouda.

Hello, peeps. Summer is almost over, just a few more days of typhoon-induced humidity and then GLORIOUS AUTUMN!! Much of the next 2 months I will be in the US doin' my recruitin', but I will post again with photos from CA, OR and WA. YAY!

So, after Okinawa there were lots of fun things this summer. Many people came and left at work and I have a bunch of new co-peons. I went to my first GNO at Fujimamas, saw the Dark Knight, went to a few beer gardens, cut off my hair, played tennis on the hottest freaking day of the summer, celebrated a few birthdays, and celebrated a few weddings.

Last weekend was my cousin Midori's wedding, to longtime beau Takarin. The ceremony was held at Itsukushima Jinja, a world heritage site, on Miyajima, in her hometown of Hiroshima. It was surreal and beautiful.



The room where the ceremony took place was open to the public.



Holy world heritage site, batman.



The bride and groom's geta. Ghet-to!



All the fam was there. I seriously have gorgeous cousins.



Among the guests were James Bond and the Pink Panther.



So was our favorite little person, Yurine.



Bride and groom began in traditional kimonos.



Then later changed to Prince Charming and Ariel.



We took a boat to and from Miyajima and the hotel.



It was SUPER FUN.



So was the reception.



Ai and I sang A Whole New World, and Takarin serenaded Midori with a Kobukuro song. He took piano lessons just for this.



Madoka and Jesse documented the whole thing on video and film. I don't think they sat down for more than 5 minutes the whole day. Otsukaresamadesu.



And here are the sisters.



That should be all the weddings for this year. But you never know, there are still 3 months left of 2008 and Las Vegas is just a plane ride away.

Cheers peeps!

Miyakojima

catamaran, originally uploaded by ninapod.

Spent a few days in Miyakojima with Ai. Green water, blue sky, yellow hibiscus and bright red skin (now a Tahitian tan).

Tokyo? Seattle?

Bay and Highway
Originally uploaded by ninapod

Hard to tell, innit.

Bay and Highway

Bay and Highway
Originally uploaded by ninapod

Tokyo

Tokyo, originally uploaded by ninapod.

Paris? Non. C'est Tokyo a nuit.

father & daughter

father & daughter
Originally uploaded by ninapod

Was flipping through my Flickr pics and could not resist posting this.

Little cousin Yuri and big cousin So.

Cute, or WHAT.

A Whole New World

A whole new world
Originally uploaded by ninapod

I think what made Ai happiest on her 30th was finding her karaoke soul mates in Kiyo, Muti and Dudley.

Here they are singing one of the best karaoke duets, A Whole New World from Aladdin.

Other faves:
Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie
Time Warp from Rocky Horror
I Just Called to Say I Love You by Stevie Wonder
Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John and Kiki Dee
I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor
Give It Away Now by Red Hot Chili Peppers
What it Takes by Aerosmith
島唄 by The Boom
My Sharona by The Knack

frozen waterfall

frozen waterfall, originally uploaded by ninapod.

Photos from my recent biz trip to OR/CO.

It stays pretty cold in Colorado well into spring. In mid-March, Seven Falls outside of Colorado Springs was still mostly frozen.

hike behind GOTG

hike behind GOTG, originally uploaded by ninapod.

I spent my free Sunday in Colorado here. Nice change from Tokyo.

Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods, originally uploaded by ninapod.

Majestic red rocks in Colorado Springs.

Cadet Chapel

Cadet Chapel, originally uploaded by ninapod.

At the USAFA. Profile looks like a jet; as a whole it looks like a radiator.

United State Air Force Academy

United State Air Force Academy, originally uploaded by ninapod.

Drive down to the USAFA in Colorado Springs.